Relief
by psychicdreamsandangelwings
Summary: Rick and Carl are reunited with Judith and Daryl is reminded he's a part of their family.


Rick found it hard to believe his eyes when he first saw Judith. He'd found the bloody car seat, him and Carl both had. It was empty, no remanence of life except for the bright red blood splatter that signaled something terrible had happened. Carl and Rick had escaped the overrun prison thinking that she was dead, long gone, not in this world anymore. Hershel would have told him she was in Heaven, with her mama, but he wasn't sure if he believed in Heaven and Hell any more. He'd accepted the fact he would never see his baby girl again, after all the dead only came back as shells of their previous selves. That didn't mean he was over it, just that he had accepted it. No one got over the pain of losing a child, not even when they lived in a world like this.

When Rick caught sight of Tyreese though, everything stopped. All he heard was the pounding in his head and a pressure in his heart that kept building and building as seconds passed. The sight of his daughter was like nothing he had ever felt before. Absolute utter relief flooded through him the second Tyreese stepped out of the cabin. Rick was so unstable he was surprised he hadn't collapsed right there. He dropped the bag, all thoughts leaving him accept for the one that pushed him to run faster. He had never run so fast in his life and was in front of them in seconds, arms pulling his baby girl into his arms. Rick Grimes, hardened sheriff and the man who had literally ripped out someone's neck with his teeth, never cried. But the second he held Judith in his arms, his eyes began to tear up. Nothing could have been done to prevent that from happening.

Rick could hear footsteps behind him and assumed they were Carl's. He held Judith against his chest, nearly falling to his knees once the overwhelming sense of relief hit him. He didn't care what he looked like at that moment. He was a father who had just been reunited with the daughter he thought he had lost, he deserved the right to react however he felt. He was vaguely aware of the rest of the group around them, the people he had known from the prison near tears as the three of them reunited.

Rick pressed his face into Judith's hair and held her, completely overcome with emotions. By now Carl was standing beside him, hands running over Judith's back as his eyes watered. Rick pressed his lips against the top of Judith's head and bent over slightly, taking in his daughter's presence in a way he never had before.

"God," Rick said, voice choking as he pressed another kiss against the top of Judith's hair. Carl was just as emotional as he was, hands running over the top of her head in an attempt to solidify the fact that his sister was really alive. Rick vaguely caught glimpse of the others starting to come towards them, eyes fixed on Judith. Not everyone understood exactly what was going on, Rick had only known Abraham and his group for a short time, but it seemed they were all affected by their reunion. They stood in shocked happiness as a family was reunited.

Judith had been important to everyone at the prison and, in a way, had become everyone's baby. The entire prison had been dead set on making sure that she, over anyone, got everything she had ever needed. She was their hope that things could get better. After all, what signaled everything was going to improve better than a new baby. His people had risked their lives to get supplies for Judith, something that he would never be able to repay. Preserving the innocence of a child, even when they lived in a world like this, was at the top of most everyone's lists. So to see that she was alive, that she had survived, only boosted everyone's morale.

Rick watched from the corner of his eye as mixed emotions crossed Daryl's face: relief, happiness, hope. He'd done so much for Judith, helped raise her even. He'd been there since day one, gathering formula, clothes, and everything that they could possible need for her. Daryl hovered awkwardly next to him and Carl, internally debating on whether or not he should step towards them or give them some space. The feelings that Rick and Daryl had for each other, the unique relationship that they shared, had been growing for months now; way before the fall of the prison. Eventually it had developed into something romantic, something that was still too complicated to define entirely. They never had labeled what they were, probably never would, because that just wasn't them. They didn't need a word to describe what they were to each other, all they needed to know was that they were something, labeling it wasn't important.

"Come here," Rick said, grabbing Daryl by his already ripped sleeve and pulling him towards them. Daryl went willingly, stepping close to Rick's side. A giant smile split across Daryl's face as he stroked a dirty thumb over Judith's forehead, an action that warmed Rick's heart, before pressing a kiss against her cool skin. Daryl had gotten significantly close to both Judith and Carl as his relationship with Rick got more and more intense. He had risked his life on more than one occasion to save his kids, and Rick couldn't express how grateful he was to have a man like Daryl in his life. He bent down towards Daryl, lips pressed against his ear as he whispered, "We're family, and she's as much your daughter as she is mine."

Daryl smiled, one of his rare genuine smiles that not many people saw, and nodded. The two of them didn't need any other confirmation, it was clear to see that just a few words could relay how much they cared for each other. Rick stepped away, baby Judith still in his arms, so he could reach Tyreese. The man had been standing off to the side, understanding smile on his face, as he watched the three of them reunite with Judith. The two of them clasped shoulders for a few seconds before pulling away. They didn't exchange a single word, none were needed. Tyreese had saved Judith, had protected her from harm's way, and there was nothing Rick could say that would justify how grateful he was. To him, actions had always spoken louder than words, and he knew Tyreese understood that.

Rick pulled away from Tyreese and looked down at Judith. She looked so healthy and happy, Tyreese had truly done an amazing job of taking care of her. Rick clasped a hand over Carl's shoulder, pulling him forwards. At the same time Daryl stepped up next to him, resting a hand on his lower back. Rick turned his head slightly and kissed Daryl's shoulder, something that probably shocked the hell out of the newcomers. The first time the two of them had met Rosita, Abraham, Eugene, and Tara was when they stepped into that box car. The topic of Daryl and Rick's relationship had never come up before, so this was their first clue as to how intimate their relationship really was.

Rick was relieved. Not only had he met up with the rest of his people, they'd escaped terminus only to come across Carol, Tyreese, and Judith. It felt like his family was finally back together again, his entire family. Daryl was standing next to him, hand still resting against the small of his back in a comforting touch, Judith was in his arms, and Carl was in front of him. Not to mention they were surrounded by all the people he had grown to love. He had his family back, and in the end, no matter how cliché it sounded, that was all that mattered to him.


End file.
